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SAN DIEGO – Mark Viramontes was named assistant coach of the San Diego softball team, as announced Tuesday by head coach Melissa McElvain.

It will be familiar surroundings for Viramontes who spent the past two seasons as the volunteer assistant coach with the Toreros baseball team.

Viramontes brings 19 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, including 12 years with D-I programs. He has spent time at some of the nation’s premier collegiate baseball teams, including San Diego, Saint Mary’s (CA), San Diego State and California.

“With 19 years of coaching experience and 12 years with Division I baseball programs, Coach Viramontes brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the USD softball program,” said McElvain. “His work ethic and high standards will immediately make a positive impact on our program. I'm thrilled and honored to have Coach Viramontes on my staff.”

Viramontes will primarily serve as the hitting coach among other responsibilities.

“I am excited to join the softball program and the opportunity to be a part of Coach McElvain’s staff,” said Viramontes. “It is a great opportunity to join a successful program and I cannot wait to get started with the team this fall.”

This will be Viramontes’s third coaching position with USD after being a member of the baseball staff from 2006-09 and 2016-17.

In 2017, Viramontes helped guide the Toreros baseball team to a 35-18-1 record. USD had seven players selected in the 2017 MLB Draft, highlighted by Riley Adams, the WCC Player of the Year and third-round selection by the Toronto Blue Jays.

In 2016, Viramontes worked closely with the USD catchers, and helped guide Riley Adams to a second-team All-WCC selection.

Viramontes also worked with the USD pitching staff, and was in charge of calling the pitches. He assisted head coach, Rich Hill, with the development and training of both the offensive players, as well as the USD pitching staff. Viramontes also served as the first base coach for USD. With his help, six total Toreros took home All-WCC honors, highlighted by Bryson Brigman being named first-team All-WCC.

Viramontes spent the fall of 2015 at California, assisting with the baseball program in all facets, prior to coming to USD.

Viramontes was an assistant coach for Saint Mary's (CA) during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, serving as the hitting coach and responsible for running the offense. During the 2015 season, Saint Mary’s led the conference in batting average in program history and recorded its first winning season in over 30 years.

Prior to Saint Mary’s, Viramontes spent four seasons at San Diego State. While an Aztec, he was the director of player development and volunteer assistant coach.

During his time with the Toreros from 2006-09, Viramontes served as the catchers’ coach and helped run the team's baseball operations office. He helped lead USD to back-to-back 40-win seasons in 2007 and 2008, and helped guide the Toreros to a No. 9 national seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2007.

The 2008 Toreros posted the most wins in program history (44) and reached the Long Beach Regional championship game, but fell to eventual national champion Fresno State.

In 2005, Viramontes served as an assistant coach at Cal State Los Angeles, working with outfielders and running the team's weight training program.

Viramontes has extensive summer ball experience as well. From 2006-08 he was the head coach of the DuPage Dragons of the Central Illinois Collegiate Summer League (CICL).

In his first season, Viramontes led DuPage to a franchise-best 25-19 record. He followed that performance by leading the Dragons to the league championship game the next season.

From 2004-05, he coached in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL), serving as the hitting instructor and third base coach for the Brewster Whitecaps.

Viramontes spent five years at East Los Angeles College (1999-2004) and helped lead the team to South Coast Conference championships in 2000 and 2004. The team claimed the regional title in 2000 and finished runners-up for the state championship.

A native of East Los Angeles, California, Viramontes began his coaching career as an assistant junior varsity coach at Garfield High School in Los Angeles and a varsity assistant at San Gabriel High School. He went on to work as an Associate Scout for the Cincinnati Reds, evaluating baseball talent in inner-city schools.

Viramontes is married to Carmen Garcia and has a three-year-old daughter, Olivia. He is a 2011 graduate of the University of Phoenix with a bachelor’s degree in communication–business and marketing.